Bicyclist&#39;s strength-testing machine.



No. 734,662. PATBNTED JULY 28, 1903.. n

. R.. IKSLAISDIILIL.-` BIGYCLISTS STRENGTH TESTING MACHINE. APPLIUMIONHLHFQOTJS:1902. No MODEL.

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UNITED STATES ROBERT W. BLAISDELL, BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO HEZEKIAH O. WOODBURY, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS.

BICYCLISTS STRENGTH-TESTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,662, dated July 28, 1903. l Applicationliled October 13; 1902. Serial No. 127.096. (No model.)

To `a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, ROBERT WBLAISDELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicyclists Strength- Testing Machines, of which'the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in ro bicyclists strength-testing machines `for the purpose of testing and indicating the strength of a person applying leg-power to pedals on a rotary shaft operated in a manner similar to that of riding a` bicycle, and it is carried r 5 out as follows, reference being had to the ac` companying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved strength-testing machine, partly shown in section; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-seczo tion on the line 2 2 shown in Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur onfthe different parts of the drawings.

In the drawings, A represents a post or standard provided at its upper end with Va vertically-adjustable bicycle-saddle B of any well-known size or pattern. Inbearings in the said post is suitably journaled a shaft O, to the ends of which are secured cranks D D,

` 3o provided with pedals d din a manner similar:

to those employed on a bicycle. To the shaft C is secured a sprocketwheel E. (Shown ,in

dotted lines in Fig. 1.) From such sprocketf wheel leads a chain F to asprocket-wheel Gr,

secured to a shaft VH, located in bearings in the sides of a preferably hollow standard or casing I, as shown.

\ To the sprocket-wheel shaft His secured a' pinion K, the teeth of which mesh in the4 4o teeth of a rackL, to the upper end of which is attached a piston M, movable in a cylinder N, the lower end Aof'which is o'pe`n,`as shown `in Fig. l. The upper end ofjthe cylinderN is normally closed by`rneans of a valve O, seated in a perforated valve-seat in such end of the cylinder N and held in such closed position by means of a light spring O', interposed between the upper end of the spindle on said valve and a guide on the upper end 5o of the cylinder N, as shown.

n n 'n are a series of perforations through hereinafter be described.

the side of the upper end of the cylinder N,

as shown in Fig. l, for a purpose that will Within. the lower portion of the casing I is located a cylinder P, containing a compressible coiled spring Q. (Shown in Fig. l.) To the lower end of the rack L is secured a plate or piston Z, resting upon the upper end of the coiled spring Q,

as shown in Fig. 1. an index-pointer Z, projecting through aslotted opening z' in the side of the casing I, and to the outside of the latter is secured a suitable graduated scale R, as shown.

In practice I prefer to locate an antifriction guide-roller S back of the rack L opposite to the pinion K, which roller is secured to a spindle S', suitably journaled in bearings in the casing I, as shown. Said roller serves as a back-support for said rack L while being 7 standard T, preferably cast in one piece with 7 the saddle-post A and casing I, as shown in Fig. 1, and to the upper end of said frame T is secured an adjustable handle-bar t, provided with a pair of handles t', like those used on a bicycle, as shown in said Fig. 1. 8 fin Fig. 1 represents a tubular cover or chain-guard adapted to inclose the sprocketchain F, so as'to prevent the garment of the rider from being soiled by contact with said chain while seated on the saddle B. The operation of this my improved strength-testing machine is as follows: The person `while seated on the saddle B and `grasping the handles on the handle -bar .'4 places his feet on the pedals d d and imparts a rotarymotion to the .shaft C, asis common Vin bicycle propulsion. The endless sprocketchain F causes a rotary motion tobe imparted to the sprocket-wheel G and pinion K in the direction of arrows shown in Fig. 1. The

rotation of the pinion K causes the rack L to be forced downward against the iniuence of the coiled spring Q proportionate to the strength and power exerted by the rider, which may readily be ascertained by looking on the index-pointer and scale at the side of the casing I. During the downward motion To the rack L is secured 6o A of the rack L and piston M the valve O is drawn from its seat in the upper end of the cylinder N, causing the air to enter freely into the upper end of the cylinder through the valve-opening, so as to allow the piston M to move downward Without resistance. After the operator has tested his strength as above described and alghts from the saddle the coiled spring Q causes the rack L and piston M to move upward to the normal zero position, (shown in Fig. 1,) and during such upward motion of said parts the spring O causes the valve O to close and causes the air in the cylinder N above the piston M to pass Vslowly out through the pin-holes nu, thus retarding such upward motion by the compression of the air above the piston M and causing the rack to move slowly upward to its normal Zero position.

I have hereinabove shown and described the machine in its simplest form; but I wish to state that it may be differently arranged or geared without departing from the essence of my invention.

What I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim is- Y l. Inabicyclists strength-testing machine, a seat, a pedal-wheel, a pinion operated by said pedal-wheel, a rack operated by said pinion, and means for retarding the movement of said rack.

2. In a bicyclists stren gth-testin g machine, a bicycle-saddle, a sprocket-wheel provided with pedals, a second sprocket wheel, a

sprocket chain connecting said sprocket- Wheels, a pinion operated by said sprocketwheels, a rack operated by said pinion, and a spring in engagement with said rack.

3. In a bicyclists strength-testing machine, a bicycle-saddle, a sprocket-wheel, provided with pedals, a second sprocket wheel, a sprocket chain connecting said sprocketwheels, a pinion operated by said sprocketwheels, a rack operated by said pinion, a spring bearing against one end of said rack, and a brake device bearing against the other end of said rack.

4. In a bicyclists strength-testing machine, a bicycle-saddle, a pair of bicycle-handles, a sprocket-wheel provided with pedals, a second sprocket-wheel, a sprocket-chain connecting said sprocket-wheels, a pinion oper4 ated by said second sprocket-wheel, a rack operated by said pinion, a coil-spring bearing against one end of said rack, a cylinder having a non-return valve opening thereinto and having a plurality of perforations therein, a piston working in said cylinder, said piston being connected with said rack, an indexpointer connected with said rack, and a graduatedscale arranged to be traversed by said pointer.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT W. BLAISDELL. Witnesses: y

ALBAN ANDRN, THEKLA ANDRN. 

